


Nonsense

by GoodJanet



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Apologies, F/M, Guilt, In-Jokes, Kissing, Understanding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-15 01:53:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3433430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoodJanet/pseuds/GoodJanet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>April's having an off day and decides to take it out on Jerry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nonsense

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the _Parks & Rec_ interview on _Late Night with Seth Meyers_ when Aubrey Plaza and Jim O'Heir kissed at the end of the interview  & how unfunny it was to make fun of Jerry during the show.

“Okay, now let’s see here. Right. Four copies on white paper. Two copies on pink. Four on white. Two on pink…”

Gerry hits a button on the copy machine, and suddenly it’s spitting out twelve copies from the blue paper tray.

“Oh dear.”

He hears a huff.

“God, Jerry, how do you mess up making copies? It’s so easy. Just press the right button next time. God!”

Gerry clutches the messed up copies to his chest. He feels sweat form on his brow.

“Jeez, I’m really sorry. I’ll try to do better next time.”

April still looks mad, but he’s not sure what else to say. Any other time, people walk away, but she’s just looking at him, and it’s making him nervous.

“April?”

“Be quiet,” she demands before closing the gap between them and putting her mouth on his.

Jerry kinds of tastes like coffee and chapstick mixed with those hard candies old people keep on them at all times. Kind of butterscotch-y or maybe it’s caramel. And it’s weird that she knows that now. It’s weird that she knows his lips are soft. She knows a lot about Jerry, just from a kiss.

She pulls away slowly. Jerry looks stunned.

“What?” she asks.

She hopes he’s too shocked to realize that she’s a little shaken too. She’s only half sure of why she did it.

“April, you know I’m married to Gayle.”

Her eyes flick to the ground. Okay, so maybe it was a totally uncool move.

“You’re right,” she says, though it kills her to say it. “I don’t know what came over me.”

Jerry smiles widely.

“Make sure to drink plenty of water. This heat might just be getting to your head!”

And just like that, he’s no longer upset or confused or hurt. A simple admission of guilt, and she was off the hook. 

She just nods at him and walks away. She hears him press another button and half hopes that he got it right this time.

When she’s back at her desk, she knows she should be doing work, but she still feels kind of fuzzy and angry and confused. If she’s being completely honest with herself, she knows exactly why she kissed Jerry. And it’s because she—and everyone else in the office—is mean to him. He might be absentminded and clumsy, but he’s no weirder than anyone else in the department. Ron keeps meat in his ceiling, Leslie has fifty binders, Andy hoards shiny things like a magpie at the shoeshine stand, Tom displays his favorite colognes on his desk, and Donna was pretty much an enigma wrapped in a mystery. 

So why was Jerry their whipping boy? Why? She’s chewing on her fingernail before she can stop herself. She knows what it’s liked to be picked on for being weird. And she remembers all too well how it made her feel. Is that how Jerry feels all the time? That everyone hates him and hates having him around? Everyone’s pretty much told him just that.

She gets up from her desk and finds Jerry has finally gotten the copies he needed.

“Oh, hi, April!”

He’s got a big smile on his face like she and everyone else doesn’t kick him around all the time. She wants him to yell at her—at any of them—and stand up for himself. To be mean right back. But he doesn’t. He just patiently waits for her to speak.

She’s suddenly aware of a lump in her throat.

“I’m—I’m really sorry for being a fucking bitch to you. There. I said it. Are you happy? God, it’s like I can’t do anything right!”

Jerry looks at her with concern.

“April, you’ve just been talking nonsense today. Are you sure you don’t want to take the day off? I’m sure Leslie won’t mind.”

He puts a gentle hand on her shoulder, like he would with any of his beautiful daughters. Any other time, she’d shrug him off and shout an insult at him, but she kind of just needs some attention right now, so she lets it slide.

April makes soft crying noises, but Gerry isn’t sure if she’d want a hug or not. He knows how skittish April can be around touchy-feelings. But what the heck. The poor thing is sad or mad or maybe both, so he pulls her in for a Gergich hug.

“Jerry, I’m sorry we’re all so mean to you, but I swear to god, don’t ever hug me again.”

He quickly pulls away.

“I don’t understand,” Gerry says. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you say this many words to Leslie, even. Don’t get me wrong; I like talking to my office friends. But you and I don’t exactly talk.”

“You’re always so nice, Jerry. Even when I yell at you or make rude comments or kiss you, you’re still being nice to me. Why?”

Gerry sighs.

“Well, I guess because no matter what anyone says, I’m happy with my life. I have a wonderful wife and children, a good job, a lovely home, and awesome friends. And sometimes those awesome friends have big problems, but they don’t have a wife or kids or a home or friends to look forward to. And they just need someone to get their anger out on. And that someone is me. You feel better when you get all that anger out, don’t you?”

April nods. Because that’s the most selfless thing anyone in the whole world could ever do. And it’s amazing that he cares so much. She feels like an idiot for not getting it sooner.

“And if you feel better, then I feel better too. I know you guys think I don’t get it ‘cause I’m an old guy, but I do. And that’s okay. I’m totally okay with the role I play here. I like doing good things for my friends.”

April fights a smile and hopes Jerry doesn’t see. If he does, he doesn’t comment.

“Thanks,” she says quietly.

She decides to give him a hug for three whole seconds. 

“Now,” Gerry says. “I don’t want you to treat me any differently, okay? I don’t want it getting out that I’m in on the jokes.”

“Whatever you say, Larry.”

Gerry winks and smiles before walking away with his papers.

Huh.

The weight on her shoulders lifts, and she finally feels sane enough to go back to work.

**Author's Note:**

> Here's to a wonderful series!


End file.
